CASA Student Scribes: Living in a Fantasy World

January 31, 2014 | by Iain Sunday

Painting of Iain Sunday by Eden Edmonson.

It was almost Monday morning football as the Denver Broncos took the field with a minute and 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter. I stood inches from the television screen, anxious for the drive. “Let’s go,” I hollered into the phone at my friend, Dylan Ardo.

“There’s not enough time,” he groaned on the other end. Peyton Manning threw it deep down the left side of the field to Eric Decker. “Clocks running,” Ardo said, his tone now more confident. Manning completed one out of his next four passes then got sacked at the Indianapolis Colt’s 29-yard line.

I pounded my fist on the table. “Hurry up!”

Denver’s special team unit sprinted onto the field. They lined up for the field goal. The center shot the ball out between his legs into the holder’s hands. Kicker Matt Prater swung his leg forward, striking the ball through the uprights. I thrust my fist towards the television, inaudible from the shock. Ardo, however, made up for my lack of response with a parade of expletives. Final score: Indianapolis 39, Denver 33.

On Oct. 20, the 4-and-2 Colts handed the undefeated Bronco’s their first loss of the season. It was Peyton Manning’s homecoming. Manning spent 14 seasons with the Colts, leading them to several division championships and one Super Bowl. Denver had come back to score 16 points in the fourth quarter. I couldn’t have cared less. What mattered was Matt Prater, the Broncos kicker, hitting a 47-yard field goal that put the Broncos down by six. The Broncos never came back to win the game, but the kick did do one thing: the three points made my fantasy team beat Ardo’s by two.

According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, 24.3 million people played fantasy football last year. It’s a billion-dollar industry. On the other hand, it loses billions of dollars in worker productivity during the work year. According to a study made by Challenger, Gray and Christmas, fantasy football accounts for a loss of $6.5 billion during the 15-week season. This doesn’t account for the three-week playoffs that most standard leagues hold from weeks 16 to 18. In recent years, fantasy football has gotten a bad rep for ruining football. In many people’s minds, it has taken away from the team aspect of football and focuses more on individual accomplishments. During a panel interview I recently held, Josh Carter, fantasy football newcomer said, “I’m checking the bottom for stats instead of the top for scores.”

On Sunday, Oct. 27, my good buddies and members of my fantasy league Josh, Pj, Anthony, Mark and I found ourselves at Dylan’s house. We drank about 20 liters of soda while consuming at least six large pizzas. It was a typical Sunday afternoon watching football. Around the start of the middle slate of games, Chuck Ardo, Dylan’s grandfather, came downstairs offering wings. “What game you boys watching?” he asked.

“All of them,” I said. Mr. Ardo gave me a puzzled look. The Ardos didn’t have the NFL package, making it impossible to watch every game.

“What the hell do you mean all of them?” he jokingly asked. Dylan explained to him that we were watching NFL Red Zone, the NFL-affiliated channel that brings you all the most important plays, commercial-free, all Sunday. Confused and a little angered, Mr. Ardo asked, “Why would you do that?”

We all answered at the same time, “Fantasy.”

“You all live in a fantasy world!” Mr. Ardo said, disgusted, but not upset enough to take the wings with him. This soon became Mr. Ardo’s catch phrase.

“I don’t care about the scores of the game,” said another fantasy first-timer, Anthony Kline. “You can’t have feelings in fantasy football. If they don’t win, but the player gets a high amount of points, that’s better for me.” This coming from a former football player who worried more about the stats than the actual score. He disregarded the whole point of the game in favor of winning a fantasy football league between friends. Mr. Ardo would say this hurts the league.

I asked my panel of fantasy football players if they watched more football after they started playing fantasy football. All of them said they watched the same amount, if not more. Fantasy football hurting football? Every year, the National Football League continues to dominate viewership. According to Forbes, halfway through the 2013 NFL season, 19 of the top 20 most-watched programs since Sept. 5 were all NFL games. In fact, Bleacher Report recorded the NFL’s annual revenue at $9.5 billion, $2.5 billion ahead of the second highest, Major League Baseball. You want a cherry on top? Thirty of the top 50 franchises listed in “Forbes 2013, The World’s 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams” list were NFL teams. There are 32 NFL teams.

I was recently lucky enough to conduct an interview with Seattle Seahawk rookie defensive lineman, Jordan Hill. Hill, the 87^th pick out of Penn State during last year’s draft, now found himself part of a locker room of playmakers, real game changers. When asked if anyone in the locker room talked about fantasy football, he said yes. “The guys are competitive,” he said.

With players comparing their points to each other’s, it makes them go out and compete even harder, he added. He also called fantasy football a “fun activity” that gets people interested in the league. He said he would want to get into it after his playing days are over.

I stumbled out the door, flinging my backpack over my shoulder. The horn honked as I jogged up my driveway. I opened the door and jumped into the car. Dylan sat in the front passenger seat next to his grandpa. Not even 10 seconds after buckling my seat belt, Dylan yelled back to me, “Up by 10!”

“What the hell could you be yelling about at 7 a.m. on a Monday morning?” Mr. Ardo demanded, his voice morning-weary.

“It’s our fantasy…”

“Your fantasy world!” Mr. Ardo interrupted Dylan, laughing to himself. “Do you ever talk about the actual scores?”

Did we? Now currently week 12 of the NFL season, I do not know if I have discussed an actual score this season. I know I’ve talked about a play, call, player performance and even touchdown dance, but I don’t know if I have actually discussed a score of a game. But I do talk more about football this year than any other year. Is this bad for the league? I don’t know. What I do know, however, is that I love football: real or fantasy.

Iain Sunday is a sophomore at Capital Area School for the Arts (CASA).

Used Goods, New Homes: Harrisburg’s ReStore helps Habitat for Humanity fulfill its mission.

January 31, 2014 | by Ashleigh Pollart

Harrisburg residents were distraught when Tröegs announced that the successful, homegrown brewery was relocating to Hershey—and rightfully so.

Tröegs had become not only a social hub of the capital city but a beacon of hope for Harrisburg—a symbol that a small business can thrive within the city limits. Then, just a few months ago, the former Tröegs brewery and bar became a different symbol of hope for those who call central PA home, one of a comfortable life at an affordable price.

The Habitat for Humanity of Greater Harrisburg’s ReStore is a dream to your average weekend warrior or homeowner. Although Harrisburg’s ReStore only opened in late August, ReStores have been established all over the country for the past 15 years.

“The Habitat affiliate here in Harrisburg started putting together a capital campaign to get their ReStore open about two years ago. They also started accepting donations at their building at 13^th and Walnut,” explained Bill Wood, ReStore manager.

A Habitat affiliate can be compared to a chapter of the national Habitat for Humanity. Each operates individually but under the national umbrella and guidelines. Wood moved from Lexington, Ky., with the sole purpose of opening the Harrisburg ReStore.

After finding the location, recruiting volunteers and having conversations with those who had the potential for corporate involvement, Wood and his team began to build the ReStore from the ground up. Tröeg’s recognizable bar still stands, but it now serves as a display area.

“While working on the building itself, we were securing donations from people to make sure donors are aware that we’re a presence in the community—that we’ll come out and pick up something if you want to donate it and give you a tax receipt,” Wood explained. “That way, when we opened, we already had that donor base going.”

In ReStore’s fourth month of serving Harrisburg, the store had too many donations and a lack of space—a good problem to have. To move some old merchandise out of the store, Wood and his team had a storewide sale.

“That’s a really good feeling to me. It shows that the community is hearing us,” Wood said. “They’re donating things that they no longer want, and we’re turning them into funding for our programs.”

Those programs help fulfill Habitat’s mission of providing housing for lower-income people. The ReStore even serves as an inventory for Habitat’s construction crew.

“If we’re doing a rehabilitation, and the home is in need of a vanity, if we have a vanity here that fits and is in good condition, we’ll use that for the home,” Wood said. “We also get paint and other building supplies donated. One of our construction guys came by to get six tubes of drywall caulk for $1 a tube. He would pay quadruple that in a store. It’s small, but on a larger scale, we’re saving 75 to 90 percent.”

Many customers don’t expect the ReStore to supply items such as caulk, but, walking in to the warehouse, customers will see modern furniture alongside antiques, dishwashers and ovens, maple and cherry cabinets, paper weights, lighting fixtures and even an antique clawfoot tub. ReStore customers range from do-it-yourselfers to people in need of new items for their homes at an affordable price.

“We have one customer whose home was completely destroyed and has been waiting to put in a new kitchen but could never afford it. She’s been coming in week after week and getting these cabinets piece by piece and putting it together herself,” explained Lindsay Kirkwood, ReStore assistant manager. “She came in a few weeks ago with pictures of it all done. We got to see her every week and watch that process come together. It’s really great. I’m glad we can be that resource for people out there.”

Kirkwood worked with Wood at a ReStore during her college years in Lexington.

“I rode around on the truck and, once I graduated with an English degree, I thought I should probably go move some more furniture for a while,” Kirkwood laughed. “I fell in love with the mission and what we do. It’s one of those jobs where you get to go home exhausted most days knowing that you got a family in a new home or put a new roof on someone’s house and that’s good enough for me.”

Others come in looking for furniture that they can recover or paint to use in their home. Harrisburg Councilwoman Sandra Reid, for one, is a ReStore frequent shopper. Prior to the opening of the Harrisburg location, she traveled to Lancaster or York almost every week to check out their inventory for her ongoing home remodel.

“I work on my own home, and I believe that, if we recycle things and repurpose things, you can get some more use out of them. If you’re into DIY, this is where you need to be,” Reid said. “It benefits the DIY-ers, the residents, the people working on their own homes; having the ability to come and get high-end fixtures and high-end ceramic, paint, stains—it’s wonderful!”

Reid’s favorite find so far was an antique mirror that matched a 100-year-old dresser. She was able to replace the broken mirror with one she found during ReStore’s opening weekend, and, to her delight, many who see the piece believe it to be the dresser’s original.

Other customers are attracted to ReStore because of the price point. Wood and his team set the items’ prices before featuring them on the floor. To ensure accurate pricing, they sometimes will get the opinion of antique dealers who are experts in determining value.

Customer Stephanie Eshenour heard about ReStore and the good prices and decided to stop in for counter sealant.

“We’re doing a home remodel and trying to do it on a budget. We heard they have a lot of good things at good prices,” Eshenour explained. “We found a sink we’re going to buy for $35. Otherwise, it would be over $100 for the same sink. ReStore is really beneficial to everyone; we would buy a tool or sealant and use it one time and never use it again. This way, you can get it at a cheaper price, and I think people will want to improve their homes more if they realize it doesn’t have to cost tens of thousands of dollars.”

ReStore collects a wide range of items, but not everything in the store is used. Some of the merchandise is donated directly from the warehouses, sometimes due to overstock, but other times because there was a logo or packaging change. A seemingly small change such as a switch in packaging material requires all new products on store shelves. The products with the out-of-date packaging are often delivered to ReStore in new condition.

“Anderson Windows actually called me to pick these up,” Wood said, referring to a long line of brand new windows. “These were all windows that were sent out to job sites and returned because they were the wrong size or the architect changed designs.”

Other merchandise that ReStore had available included chairs donated from Bob Evans; a bank deposit box; full sets of cherry and maple kitchen cabinets; office desks and chairs; paint, stain and sealant; ceramic tile and doors.

Wood estimates that 75 percent of the donations coming into the store are from individuals, with the remaining 25 percent from corporate or construction environments. The items leaving the store reflect this same balance. Most customers walking into ReStore are there for their own homes, while smaller numbers are shopping for a corporate or construction environment.

“We recently opened an account with a fire department. If they’re looking to remodel a fire station and need a new dishwasher, they can come here and purchase it. It saves the municipality a lot of money and helps us out, too,” said Wood.

Although ReStore’s doors have been open for less than six months, Wood and his team are already looking into the future. One way ReStore will continue to positively impact the community is through a new conservation program called The Toyota Together Green project, sponsored by The Audubon Society. Wood is one of 40 fellows across the country chosen to receive training, networking support and funding to conduct a conservation project.

“The Audubon Society and Toyota Together Green will be giving us money to complete volunteer recruitment with groups that are typically left out of the conservation movement. Low-income families, LGBT groups and others that are generally left out of the equation,” Wood explained.

The project will make the conservation movement reflect the diversity of our society. Wood and his team at ReStore hope that, by spreading knowledge of Habitat for Humanity and spreading their passion for conservation, the Harrisburg ReStore location will see an even greater influx of volunteers and donations.

“This is an opportunity to get more active salvage projects going, so we can go out into the community when a building’s getting torn down and take the stuff out on location so it doesn’t get thrown away,” Wood said. “That will bring us in more material to sell and allow us to do our job better of providing funding for Habitat. We’ll also be able to do a little waste reduction by keeping usable furniture out of the landfill.”

A personal passion of Wood’s, waste reduction, is also actively happening in the store. In ReStore’s first three months, the staff and volunteers filled only one dumpster—a huge achievement for the store and for waste reduction goals. Wood hopes that the Toyota Together Green project will also spread the word about ReStore while reducing waste throughout Harrisburg.

“When we get this architectural salvage program started, I hope we’ll be able to go into people’s homes that are getting remodeled and pull cabinet sets,” said Wood, who explained that cabinets are one of ReStore’s best sellers. “It saves the homeowner a bit of money because they’re not paying for a contractor to tear them out. We’ll come in and do it for free, or for a very nominal fee, and the homeowner gets the tax write off.”

Like any 501(c) 3 charitable organization, ReStore relies heavily on volunteers. In any given week, the store’s paid staff of three employees sees volunteers moving items, doing pick-ups at donors’ homes or working on the administrative side of things.

“You can come in and clean the store or serve on a committee,” Wood laughed. “There’s a wide spectrum of volunteer opportunities available.”

To learn more about the ReStore, or to donate or volunteer, please visit https://harrisburghabitat.org/restore.

Literary Dress-Up: From Gatsby to Harry Potter, your favorite characters will party at the Bal Masque.

January 31, 2014 | by Trevor Pierce

For the coming Mardi Gras weekend, Harrisburg art lovers will be given the opportunity to spend a night as their favorite literary characters at one of the year’s most stylish events.

Pictured: Scenes from last year’s Bal Masque. Photos by M.R. Gruber Photography. www.gruberpix.com

On March 1, the Art Association of Harrisburg will hold the 2014 Bal Masque at the Appalachian Brewing Co.’s Abbey Bar in downtown Harrisburg.

“The Art Association has held a Mardi Gras costume party called the Bal Masque since 1941, each with a different theme,” said Art Association President Carrie Wissler-Thomas. “This year, we’ve picked ‘Literary Allusions.’ It’s a very broad theme that we thought people would enjoy dressing up for. Guests can come as their favorite author, as a character from a book, as a depiction of the title of a book—all kinds of things. It’s always amazing to me how creative people can be with their costumes.”

While traditional party attire is welcomed, costume-wearers will be eligible for prizes in a variety of categories. The evening will also include a silent auction on literary themed gift packages, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and performances that include DJ sets by Chuck Schulz and Jonathan Frazier, psychic readings by Dr. Edward North and new-school jazz by singer Erica Lyn Everest. Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse will serve as the Bal Masque’s honorary chairman.

In addition to being one of the year’s biggest parties, the proceeds from the Bal Masque provide the Art Association with much of the funding needed for its educational programs and exhibits.

“The Art Association of Harrisburg School has about 30 different classes a year for both kids and adults,” said Wissler-Thomas, “and our gallery at 21 N. Front Street holds eight exhibits per year that are free to the public to visit, seven days a week. The money that comes in from our fundraisers helps to keep us available for the public to enjoy.

The 2014 Bal Masque will be held on Saturday, March 1 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Appalachian Brewing Co.’s Abbey Bar, 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Admission is $50 for open seating and $80 for reserved gallery seating. Tickets can be purchased online at artassocofhbg.com or by calling 717-236-1432.

Resources to Bear: African-American Chamber helps close gap between skills, means.

January 31, 2014 | by Trevor Pierce

Small-business development is critical to Harrisburg’s economic revitalization.

In recent years, the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Central PA (AACCCP) has been one of the most active organizations in our region promoting that growth, helping minority entrepreneurs translate their ideas and expertise into viable businesses. “A lot of times, our members have the skill set for their trade, but not the business skills for their industry,” said chamber President Leland Nelson. “We bring those resources to our members.”

The AACCCP’s services are built around providing resources, education, advocacy and participation (REAP), said Nelson. This platform of core values inspires programs ranging from annual “Build Your Business” boot camps, which put local entrepreneurs through an intensive series of workshops, to “Professional Thursdays” networking events. The chamber also uses its relationships with area financial institutions to help member businesses secure loans and grants and assist them in collective bidding on contracts.

Besides his role as AACCCP president, Nelson is the owner of Harrisburg-based Dirty Dog Hauling, so he understands the difficulties new business owners face.

“For example, a member may know construction, but be unfamiliar with things like certified payroll, capability statements—the things they need to run their business,” said Nelson. “We listen to what the members want, and programs and events are geared towards their needs.”

The chamber gives minority business owners the chance to work alongside professionals with similar experiences.

“We’re faced with some real challenges in central Pennsylvania, including workforce development and providing jobs to people whose skills are not highly specialized,” said member and management consultant Wendy Jackson-Dowe. “I believe in the chamber’s mission, and that it’s important for folks of color to see other folks of color who can share our unique lens, our journey, from starting businesses to becoming successful. Being the daughter of entrepreneurs and having my own business, it was an easy decision for me to join.”

In 2013, the chamber completed a multi-year process to be designated as a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization by the IRS. “The 501(c)(3) allows us to accept contributions from corporations and organizations that see diversity and inclusion not just as keywords, but as a way of doing business,” said Nelson.

The charitable contributions help the chamber provide free programs for those who cannot afford membership and assist underserved populations, such as ex-offenders, to develop professional careers. It is also working with the state to become authorized to provide certification programs for minority, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses. In addition, several chamber members consulted with Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s transition team.

Among the most inspirational of the chamber’s efforts this year has been the work of member Hope Latimore, the owner of Cover Me with Hope, a Hershey-based wig and post-mastectomy boutique that assists people who have been diagnosed with cancer.

“My mission is to help customers build their confidence and self-esteem, to feel good about themselves through difficult times,” said Latimore.

Her services include fittings, hair restoration, hair replacement and prosthesis, developed in collaboration with patients’ healthcare providers.

“I’ve been in business for five years now, and, doing things by myself, it felt like I was at a standstill,” she recalled. “Becoming a member has opened more doors, and meeting more successful businesspeople who are doing positive things for society and making our community better was a great opportunity.”

Through the chamber, Latimore was able to increase Cover Me with Hope’s visibility in the region, reach out to more area oncologists and let more patients take advantage of her services, including the uninsured. “The chamber is truly sincere and genuine about helping you out,” she said. “They really do care and have helped me take my business to the next level. I believe all businesspeople should be connected and that any businessperson should become a part of it.”

The AACCCP is also looking towards the future with programs such as Junior Entrepreneurs Training (JET), a series of classes and exercises aimed at children aged 7 through 14. JET helps participants start their own businesses with investment capital from the chamber’s partners. “They work at events like Kipona or the Jazz Festival and come up with a return on investment,” explained Nelson.

“Too often, we hear stories about the negative things happening in the black community. There are so many positive stories about young, progressive, business owners and future leaders that are often overlooked or just not in the general conversation,” said Jackson-Dowe.

She believes that it’s vital that minority business owners realize that their hard work is appreciated and supported, so they can become successful.

“It’s important to teach people self-reliance, to become independent,” concluded Jackson-Dowe. “The small business owner is the greatest creator of jobs in this country. It’s important that, instead of complaining and sitting back on the sidelines, people want to be part of the solution.”

AACCCP’s February Breakfast Club meeting is sponsored by Highmark and will be held at Nellie’s Southern Style Café, 301 Reily Street, Harrisburg, on Feb. 4 at 7:45 a.m. The event is free for both current and prospective members, and features guest speakers, networking opportunities and a complimentary breakfast. On Feb. 13, AACCCP will host Corks, Canvas & Commerce, a free Professional Thursday event, 5 to 9 p.m., at Crawdaddy’s, 1500 N. 6th St., Harrisburg.

For more information regarding memberships, business resources and upcoming events, visit ChamberForUs.com or Facebook.com/ChamberForUs.

Who Are You? Online anonymity devalues our conversation, our community.

January 31, 2014 | by J. Alex Hartzler

As I have mentioned before, one of the unexpected changes in my thinking since becoming publisher of TheBurg is my view of local media. Where I was once merely an avid consumer, I am now, with this column, a monthly producer of sorts. The added duty has caused me to think about local online and print media in new and different ways.

Far from making local media irrelevant, online social media seems to have enhanced individualized stories in the regional community. Anyone on Twitter or Facebook cannot help but notice the local stories of the day, week or month. Checking your Twitter feed or Facebook page will gain you instant knowledge of what your friends are thinking about. Much of it is hyper-local and great for real-world social gatherings. Keeping a close eye on what is happening in the local press certainly helps local media distribution, even if you don’t purchase or even read the actual publication.

I find myself checking our statistics at theburgnews.com to see which articles have drawn the most interest based on viewership, sharing or posting on social media. While not an infallible guide to determining the relative merits of any one article, the amount of uptake gives at least some indication of how receptive you, our readers, have been to the story. Our writers are generally grateful each time some one takes the time to tell their cyber-friends (and/or actual friends) to check out this or “like” that article that they have written. This is clearly a good thing from a media-owner perspective. Non-readers become readers because their friends are easily able to share a story with them with the click of a keyboard or tap on their phone.

On the other hand, it is very hard to get any one local story to break through to more widespread awareness. The numbers are just not sufficiently large to achieve critical mass. Readers are too few and the stories too many, and focus is fragmented at best. This has led to the well-publicized crisis on the business side of local media that has experienced dramatically declining ad sales as a result of that fractured audience. In an effort to reverse this trend and stay in business, much of the focus has shifted to how many people are viewing and interacting with the content. This chase for online eyeballs and, thus, the ability to charge advertisers, has led to many changes, like fewer days of print publication, among other things.

The worst of these developments, in my opinion, is the advent of the ubiquitous anonymous commentator immediately following the online article. I believe that the practice of allowing anonymous comments, far from being a panacea for declining ad sales and tightening budgets, actually serves to hasten a publication’s decline. A factual, rational story is easily overwhelmed by the non-factual, irrational opinion that follows. This commentary lessens and cheapens the very product that is being produced by the writer, while stretching and stressing that person, who now has to respond and defend her reporting to the uninformed. More work for less pay rarely makes for happy employees, but certainly tends to increase actual errors as time and volume pressures mount.

Let’s take our local friends in big suburban media. There is perhaps nothing more simultaneously entertaining and disheartening, yet meaningless and time wasting, as watching a writer who has published a well-researched piece go online and try to defend the article against the anonymous commentators. As a teaching psychologist friend once told me, “Rational argument is a useless tool against the irrational”—it only makes you crazy. Proof of that maxim can be found in nearly every one of these so-called forums. I feel for the writer who thought she had chosen a career in journalism with the local paper and now realizes that it is far more “Lord of The Flies” than the Wall Street Journal (the WSJ now requires real names in its commentary).

There is simply no point in engaging in combative back and forth with someone who doesn’t want to be informed or for whom the facts do not matter. For many of them, it appears that the game is very different—it is to rant and rage for their own personal enjoyment, not to enhance knowledge or even to prove a rational point. When a commentator is anonymous, there is no social check in place to restrain ignorance or need to fear damage to a personal reputation by writing things online that one would never say in person or if identified personally in the real-world town square.

Let’s be clear: There are exactly zero, as in bagel, whistleblowers or the like in the online local media forums that admittedly would deserve anonymity if they did have actually pertinent information. The “whistleblower exception” is easily preserved not by posting online, but by sending the information to a responsible reporter, who can then actually report a story. Anonymous online commentary is clearly not that.

The fix, however, appears to be simple. The requirement should be for a verified e-mail and physical address with the person’s name, age and occupation. Requiring a person to identify herself or himself and stand behind the comment would bring great social pressure to be more dignified and respectful, if not articulate and informed. Simply put, it is requiring the same level of social decorum that we demand in person. A simple request for civility, it would seem.

For these reasons, TheBurg has made the decision not to allow online commentary on our articles. The articles speak for themselves; they are valuable and took time to research and write. We welcome your letters, e-mail, social media posts, etc., whether positive or negative. If you let us know your thoughts, we may share them more generally with other readers. If you have suggestions for improving our paper, we will gladly listen and try to do so.

However, the real danger in anonymous commentary is the demeaning of our public discourse and the rise of a forum for the exceedingly small minority of aggrieved and disaffected who crowd out the rest of us who actually like where we live and work. Those vocal few are not representative of the community, but they are a great impediment to a truly informed citizenry by spreading inaccuracy and misinformation and just for uselessly wasting time. Ultimately, after this online experiment has played out, I believe that advertisers and the community generally will see all this anonymous commentary for what it is: sound and fury, signifying nothing. Let’s hope it is brought to an end locally, before it further threatens the viability of our otherwise valuable local media outlets.

J. Alex Hartzler is publisher of TheBurg.

Winterizing Fido: Cold weather requires special care for dogs, cats.

January 31, 2014 | by Kristen Zellner

Frigid temperatures, snow, wind and ice prompt pet owners to take precautions to ensure the safety and optimum health of their best friends. Protecting pets from the elements and giving adequate exercise are both challenges during the winter months.

If your dog likes to romp in the cold weather, have her wear a lined, water-repellent coat to help retain body heat and stay dry during walks. Short-coated dogs, toy breeds, puppies and seniors are at greater risk of becoming chilled faster. Shaving your dog is not advisable, as fur is a dog’s natural insulation from extreme temperatures. If your dog is sensitive to the cold, take her outdoors only long enough to relieve herself and keep all outside visits short during very cold temperatures. If you have cats that spend time outdoors, keep them safe inside.

Protecting your dog’s paws for outdoor adventures is equally important. Have your groomer trim the hair between the paw pads to prevent salt and snow from collecting. These are very painful for a dog to walk on. Some dog owners use dog boots to keep the paws warm and protected. If you do this, be sure to purchase the correct size for your dog to avoid discomfort and slipping. Training your dog to wear booties will take some time and patience because it’s a very strange feeling. Don’t assume she will accept it immediately.

When returning from a mucky, winter walk, it’s good to have a towel ready by the door to dry your dog. Wipe off her paws, legs and stomach. You can wash her feet with lukewarm water to remove unwanted snow, debris and chemicals. Keep in mind: any salt or other de-icing agents that are swallowed by licking can make a dog sick. If the paws become dry and cracked, you can soothe them by massaging a light coat of Vitamin E oil or pure aloe gel into the paw pads.

Inside the house, give dogs and cats a warm place to sleep, away from cold drafts. If you keep your thermostat down while you are at work, consider a heated pet bed or heating pad. You can also put a hot water bottle under a towel on the pet’s bed. For extra warmth, put a pet bed in a place that gets sunlight. Toss in a cozy, fleece blanket, fresh out of the dryer, and your cat or dog will be thrilled to burrow.

When you and your critters are stuck indoors, exercise is harder to get, but still very important. There is nothing like being cooped up with a dog or cat that has lots of energy to spare! Bored pets often find things to do, of which you may not approve.

Keep them occupied by playing indoor games, such as fetch, chase and tug. Mental stimulation gives pets a great workout, too. Puzzle toys and toys stuffed with treats or catnip can entertain them for hours.

For dogs, you can fill a hollow bone or rubber toy with a mixture of sugar-free peanut butter, yogurt, oatmeal and honey or your dog’s favorite treats. Freezing the concoction makes it even more of a challenge. Treat-dispensing balls and toys are great for cats to bat around, too. It gives them the feeling that they are “hunting” and tires them out, as well.

Just remember to reduce the amount you’re feeding at meal times to account for the additional caloric intake. You don’t want to pack more pounds on your pets during the winter months. It is just as unhealthy for them as it is for humans.

Kristen Zellner is owner of Abrams & Weakley, a general store for animals, 3963 N. 6^th St. (rear), Harrisburg, www.abramsandweakley.com.

Inspired by the People: No longer docile, Harrisburg’s residents helped guide the financial recovery plan.

January 31, 2014 | by Tara Leo Auchey

David Unkovic, former receiver of the City of Harrisburg.

“I think part of why Harrisburg has succeeded to this point is because of the people who live there.”

So said David Unkovic, former receiver of the City of Harrisburg, during a talk to McNees, Wallace & Nurick law firm colleagues, various elected officials, and other interested persons who gathered in a room last month at the Hamilton Club in Lancaster to hear him give a presentation entitled “Harrisburg: A National Model for Addressing Municipal Distress.”

He called the story of Harrisburg remarkable. He said the sequence of events of Harrisburg’s debt crisis were serendipitously just right despite the strife, fight and controversy that encompassed the saga.

In fact, he believes all of that was perfectly part of what happened.

As someone who closely watched and engaged with the unfolding events over the past five years—and studied the story much farther back—I agree. The strife reflected the complexity of the situation.

The fight pushed for substantive solutions.

The controversy attracted attention.

Without all of it, Pennsylvania’s capital city would be much worse off.

Now, not everyone concurs, and Unkovic acknowledged that.

He spoke of the contingent who believe the city should have been permitted to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, convinced that was the only correct answer to solve Harrisburg’s incredible fiscal crisis. “There are some people who think the city would have been better off in bankruptcy, but I don’t think that’s true.”

Aside from the cost and the unfortunate stigma, he pointed to the certainty that nothing is guaranteed in bankruptcy. “Everything is tested in the court,” he said.

However, such a position is not acceptable to those who think the city’s current path to recovery is bogus. Some citizens feel the so-called Harrisburg Strong Plan is the wrong plan for the city’s betterment, designed for the creditors and not for the people.

Unkovic sees it differently. “The plan for Harrisburg really got it right.”

What he didn’t say outright is that the plan only works if the citizens make it work. It’s all about the citizens. But, of course, he did say Harrisburg has some pretty special citizens.

For far too long, the citizens of Harrisburg were encouraged to disengage. Okay, so this may not have been the exact message that leaders splayed on flyers, declared in public service announcements or proclaimed in the media, but, all the same, the sentiment was loud and clear. For 28 years, Mayor Stephen Reed took care of things. He didn’t require citizens to give input or involve themselves in the business he conducted on behalf of the city. He didn’t need them to ask questions or offer suggestions. He merely needed them to listen to the pontifications he famously expounded.

Then came Linda Thompson. She modeled the reign that she observed for years, the reign she pined for and seized. When she became mayor, she adopted the attitude of power that separated her from the citizens. Rather than partner with people and their attempts to contribute, she had a tendency to appropriate projects and call them her own, cutting out the credit where credit was due.

Receivership changed all of that. Just as the state usurped the authority of the city, so could the citizens. For the first time in decades, the people of Harrisburg had the capacity to be heard and effective. And the strife, fight and controversy helped the cause along.

Our jobs have only begun, though.

Last month, the state filed a motion to end Harrisburg’s receivership. It is deemed no longer necessary. The plan is accepted, the debt is paid off, and, theoretically, the potential for stability has been set in place.

With the receiver soon to be gone, the onus is now on the citizens to make the city’s success happen. It is up to the citizens to engage, participate in the plan’s implementation, sit on boards, offer counsel and hold leaders accountable.

Sure, there are people frustrated, people still apathetic, and people not happy with how the events unfolded. Yet, it’s difficult to dispute that the citizens didn’t have an influence.

Unkovic said it was the citizens who impressed him the most during his time in Harrisburg. What he didn’t say—or really need to—is that it was the citizens who inspired him to do what he did for Harrisburg.

It hasn’t been an easy road for anyone involved, nor does it look like the challenges will disappear anytime soon. The virtue, though, is that we’ve gotten this far.

It’s not a bad place to be, and the next steps are essentially ours to take.

That means the future is filled with possibility and promise because, after all, the citizens of Harrisburg are pretty remarkable.

Tara Leo Auchey is creator and editor of today’s the day Harrisburg. www.todaysthedayhbg.

January News Digest

January 30, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Receivership to End

The state last month submitted a petition to end Harrisburg’s 26-month-old receivership, stating that “critical components” of the city’s financial recovery plan had been completed.

If the petition is approved by the Commonwealth Court, the receivership would conclude on March 1, concurrent with the end of the state-declared “fiscal emergency” for the city. At that time, an Act 47 coordinator would replace the receiver to oversee and help guide implementation of the rest of the Harrisburg Strong Plan.

Just last November, the receiver’s term was extended for two years.

“The receiver is no longer vital and necessary to successful implementation of the remaining components of the Harrisburg Strong Plan in the absence of a fiscal emergency, and the remaining components of the plan can be successfully implemented by a coordinator appointed by the secretary (of DCED),” according to the petition by C. Alan Walker, secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

While most of the plan has been implemented—including the sale of the incinerator and the long-term lease of the city’s parking assets—a few parts remain unresolved, such as a new labor agreement with the city’s firefighters’ union.

The state imposed receivership on Harrisburg in November 2011 after the squabbling city government could not reach an agreement to resolve its financial crisis. Bond lawyer David Unkovic served several months in the post, drafting the initial recovery plan.

After Unkovic resigned, Air Force Maj. Gen. William Lynch took over as receiver, overseeing the creation of the final recovery plan and its implementation to date.

Officials Sworn In

The leadership of Harrisburg’s municipal government changed dramatically last month as several recently elected officials took the oath of office.

Eric Papenfuse became the city’s 38^th mayor at a brief swearing-in ceremony in City Hall, replacing one-term Mayor Linda Thompson in the office.

At the same event, Charles DeBrunner took the oath as the new city controller, and Ben Allatt and Shamaine Daniels were sworn in as new council members. Returning Councilwomen Wanda Williams and Eugenia Smith also began four-year terms.

Following the ceremony, City Council held its reorganization meeting. Williams was re-elected council president, while Sandra Reid became council vice-president.

In addition, council made committee assignments. The new committee chairs are:

Administration Committee: Wanda Williams
Budget and Finance Committee: Ben Allatt
Building and Housing Committee: Shamaine Daniels
Community and Economic Development Committee: Brad Koplinski
Parks, Recreation and Enrichment Committee: Susan Brown-Wilson
Public Safety Committee: Eugenia Smith
Public Works Committee: Sandra Reid

Each committee is made up of three council members except for the administration committee, which includes all council members.

Papenfuse Announces Cabinet

Mayor Eric Papenfuse last month announced his choices for most of the top administrative posts in city government. These include:

Neil Grover, who took over as city solicitor from Jason Hess. An attorney in private practice, Grover had served recently as special counsel to City Council.

Aaron Johnson, who replaced Kevin Hagerich as director of the Public Works Department. Johnson, previously the department’s deputy director, ran against Papenfuse as a write-in candidate for mayor in November, garnering about 17 percent of the total vote.

Bruce Weber, director of budget and finance, a post last held by long-time director Bob Kroboth. Weber formerly served on City Council.

Joyce Davis, a key Papenfuse advisor, as director of communications.

Jackie Z. Parker, a former mayor of Lebanon, as director of community and economic development.

Roy Christ, former president of the Harrisburg school board, as director of building and housing.

Lenwood Sloan as director of the newly named and reorganized Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism.

Carlesha Halkias, former deputy city solicitor, as director of human resources.

In addition, Karl Singleton was named as senior advisor on education and youth and Catherine Stetler as scheduler.

The Harrisburg Regional Chamber and Capital Region Economic Development Corp. (CREDC) will fund Parker’s position in full for the first year and at 50 percent for the second and third years. The city will take over full funding of the position in year four.

Budget Revisited

Harrisburg City Council last month reopened the 2014 budget to better reflect the spending priorities of the Papenfuse administration.

The $78.5 million budget is about $280,000 more than the budget passed in December, reflecting a slight increase in projected revenues from the earned income tax and intergovernmental transfers.

The greatest changes came on the spending side.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse proposed abolishing the post of chief operating officer, which paid $110,000 a year. Instead, he wants to establish the position of chief of staff/business administrator at an annual salary of $79,500. A new post of community services coordinator, paying $50,000 a year, would replace the position of assistant to the COO, which paid $41,000 annually.

Other proposed changes included:

Creation of several new posts, including director of arts, culture and tourism, director of sustainability and director of planning.
Raises for a number of management-level positions, including for the director of building and housing development, the director of financial management, the director of human resources, the police chief and the communications director.
Consolidating certain positions, decreasing salaries for others and not filling several vacant posts.

The council’s first budget review committee hearing is scheduled for Jan. 30. A final vote on the new budget is currently slated for Feb. 11.

Transition Report Released

The Papenfuse administration last month released a report with dozens of recommendations on how to improve government performance.

The 17-page report contained suggestions ranging from aggressively seeking grant money to making greater use of technology to tighter integration and communication between segments of government.

A few of the recommendations include:

Adequately staffing the finance unit by filling vacant positions and completing financial reporting on a timelier basis.
Appointing or designating an arts, culture, heritage and tourism liaison officer to oversee programs, activities and events.
Developing and implementing a plan for upgrading the city’s website, improving content and implementing social media.
Negotiating public/private partnerships to supplement resources.
Creating a new department focused on education, youth, recreation and related matters, hiring a qualified director and staff and securing new funding and partnerships.
Adopting a “broken windows” law enforcement approach to reduce crime and preserve order in targeted neighborhoods.
Conducting an independent feasibility assessment of alternative ways of providing sanitation service.

More than 70 people served on Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s transition teams and contributed to the report, which was compiled by consultant Robert Melville.

“This report represents hours of hard work from very dedicated people who want to see Harrisburg rise out of its problems and become the model capital it should be,” Papenfuse said.

The report contains many more ideas to improve the city government’s functions and operations. Read the entire report on TheBurg’s website, www.theburgnews.com, under the “News” category.

Brewery Eyes Midtown Building

If all goes right, a new brewery will debut in the heart of Midtown Harrisburg in the early fall.

Alter Ego Brewing Co. hopes to open a brewhouse in long-vacant space at the corner of Susquehanna and Boyd streets, at the rear of Midtown Cinema. The 3,500-square-foot brick building would house a beer-making operation, in addition to a tasting room with a limited menu featuring small plates, paninis and finger foods, said Brandalynn Armstrong, who operates Alter Ego with her husband, Theo.

The Armstrongs have numerous hurdles to overcome before they can open, including securing a liquor license and probable land use approvals. The building also requires a complete renovation, which should begin in late spring.

The couple took their first step late last month, holding a community meeting at Midtown Cinema, where they presented their plan and answered questions.

“We want to be good neighbors and an active member of the community,” said Brandalynn. “We think it’s a good fit for Harrisburg and that Harrisburg is a good fit for us.”

In addition to offering Alter Ego beers and a limited menu, the Armstrongs will feature local Pennsylvania wines and art gallery space. No liquor will be served.

The building is owned by Lift Development LLC, which includes two partners of GreenWorks Development. A couple of years ago, the state tried to relocate the former Midtown magisterial district justice’s office and courtroom to the building, but an agreement could not be reached.

More information on Alter Ego Brewing is at www.alteregobrewing.com.

Changing Hands

Berryhill St., 1940: PA Deals LLC to S. Maurer, $75,000

Briggs St., 1823: Wells Fargo Bank NA to S. Dial, $99,000

Brookwood St., 2420: P. White to M. Rodriguez, $63,900

Chestnut St., 2403: H. & L. Miller to L. & M. Walton, $149,000

Green St., 1703: Wells Fargo Bank NA & J. Landis to PA Deals LLC & J. Etzle, $116,500

Green St., 2013: WCI Partners LP to L. Binda, $209,000

Green St., 2135: D. Boyle to V. Brown, $35,000

Green St., 2233: R. Shokes Jr. & Shokes Enterprises LLC to R. & D. Requa, $60,000

Kelker St., 213: J. Henning to M. Porter, $124,500

Lewis St., 228: D. Hartman to C. Moss, $59,000

Manada St., 1903: PA Deals LLC to M. & D. Graeff, $90,000

N. 2^nd St., 606: D. Brown Jr. to 606 Dalmatian House LP, $754,000

N. 2^nd St., 1311: Susquehanna Bank to J. Feldman, $36,000

N. 2^nd St., 1313: Brick City Investments LLC to 1313 Real Estate Holdings LLC, $245,000

N. 2^nd St., 1522: T. & A. Magrory to J. Cantarell & A. Meck, $168,900

N. 2^nd St., 2731: Sierra Real Estate LLC to T. & N. Schmitt, $240,000

N. 6^th St., 2667: J. Vogelsong to G. Di Bosco, $31,500

N. 15^th St., 1603, 249 Maclay St., 438 Muench St. & 614 Wiconisco St.: R. Shokes Jr. & Shokes Enterprises to R. & D. Requa, $266,000

N. Cameron St., 1817: Integrity Bank to 1817 Cameron St. Associates LLC, $100,000

N. Front St., 1721: Susquehanna River Basin Commission to Hersha H. & Hasu P. Shah Family Foundation, $875,000

North St., 263: B. Josephs to B. Minner, $84,000

North St., 2009: J. & C. Mills to K. Snoke, $42,000

Paxton St., 1638: T. & A. Ferguson to CNC Realty Group Inc., $55,000

Penn St., 1612: J. & E. Rosentel to A. La Laz, $152,500

Penn St., 1703: Fannie Mae to B. Swisher Houtz, $63,000

S. 13^th St., 342: K. & S. Probst to B. & R. Lehman, $53,000

S. 13^th St., 502: PA Deals LLC to J. & A. Garbanzos, $45,000

S. 15^th St., 446 & 141 N. Cameron St.: G. Neff to San Pef Inc., $45,000

S. 17^th St., 325: R. Ekvall to J. Tran & D. Nguyen, $50,000

S. 18^th St., 1115: K. & W. Watson to M. Kaman & A. Phatimah, $68,000

S. 19^th St., 1670: The Harrisburg Authority to the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, $121,898,000

S. 28^th St., 806: DML Properties LP to AWK Consulting Engineers Inc., $225,000

Swatara St., 2025: Mussani & Co. to I. Fernandez, $65,000

Valley Rd., 2301A: F. & J. Haas to S. Thornsley, $195,000

Vine St., 114: F. Hutchinson to J. Robles, $135,000

Walnut St., 407: J. Brown & Graci LaPorta Partnership to J. & C. Bowen, $50,000

Harrisburg property sales for December 2013, greater than $30,000. Source Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Lost Labor

January 30, 2014 | by Paul Barker

“This was like a prayer,” said Jody Barksdale, a sixth-grade math and reading teacher at Rowland School on Derry Street, and a vice-president of the Harrisburg Education Association, the local teachers’ union. “This was like God was dropping this in our laps, saying, ‘You do have a leg to stand on.’ ”

Barksdale was referring to the discovery, last week, that the school board had neglected to ratify the cut in pay and benefits that local teachers had agreed to, after months of negotiation, in early August last year. The cuts were a key component of the recovery plan for Harrisburg’s public schools, drafted in the spring under the auspices of Act 141, the 2012 Pennsylvania law providing for state oversight and assistance in financially distressed districts. For a while, the idea that the teachers would embrace the plan seemed doubtful—they had already endured school closures, furloughs, and a three-year pay freeze. Yet the district’s financial outlook was grim, with a projected shortfall of $131 million by 2018. On August 6, the teachers voted overwhelmingly to accept the cuts as outlined in the plan.

“I talked myself into thinking it was the right thing to do,” Barksdale said. It was Friday afternoon, and she was sitting at a long table in an assembly hall in Steelton, handing out ballots to teachers as they arrived from the schools. Barksdale, who has taught in the district for 15 years, is earning less than she did four years ago. She and her partner, another district teacher, expected a loss of $1,000 per month in household income under the proposed cuts. But she voted for them anyway. “I personally didn’t feel that it was fair to the retirees who would have to lose their benefits, and things they’d worked their entire careers for,” she said. She also feared what would happen to the district if the teachers rejected the plan. “If we didn’t agree to this, they were threatening to charter up our district and dismember it.”

Less than two months later, the teachers learned that the recovery plan’s projections of imminent budgetary shortfalls—upon which the need for union concessions was predicated—were overblown. In October, the district’s new financial officer, Peggy Morningstar, reported to the school board that, in place of a $4.5 million deficit for the 2012-2013 school year, the district actually faced a surplus of around $11 million.

On October 14, at a school board meeting in the auditorium of John Harris High School, teachers took to the microphone to demand an explanation. Gene Veno, the district’s state-appointed recovery officer, pledged to make adjustments to his plan, which he acknowledged had been based on incorrect data. But when it came to the restoration of the salary cut, he was circumspect. He maintained, at that meeting and subsequent ones, that any update to the plan must consider the full range of recovery objectives: not only a fair wage for teachers, but also academic improvement, minimal tax increases, and long-term fiscal stability. The union interpreted his hedging to mean that the cuts would remain as negotiated—an outcome they resented, but one they had little power to alter, since they’d voted to approve their contract back in August.

Then came last week’s peculiar discovery. On Monday, January 20, union leadership noticed that the school’s board agenda included a vote on their labor contract scheduled for Tuesday afternoon—nearly six months after the contract had been negotiated. The school board had apparently never ratified it. “We saw an opportunity,” Sherri Magnuson, the union president, said. After a snowstorm postponed the board’s meeting to Friday, the union hastily assembled the vote in Steelton for the same afternoon. By the time the ballot closed, at 5:30 p.m., 79 percent of the membership had voted; an hour later, Magnuson announced the results before the board. By a unanimous vote, 389-0, the teachers had rescinded the agreement from August.

When Magnuson made her announcement, the teachers, assembled in their blue union T-shirts in the chairs behind her, broke into applause. But the folks on the other side of the microphone were not so easily moved. Veno, who had declined to speculate on the consequence of a vote to rescind (“That’s an administrative matter, I have no comment”), was preparing to deliver a PowerPoint on his amended recovery plan. It would include a restoration of half the 5-percent cut to this year’s salaries, along with the “opportunity for full restoration in the future along with potential salary increases,” depending on the district’s future performance.

The school board, for its part, proceeded as if the union vote had never occurred. By a bare majority—five in favor, with two ‘no’ votes and one abstention—it ratified the old contract (among a bundle of other contracts) and pressed on through the meeting. This was, in part, a way of covering for an embarrassing neglect of procedure. Jennifer Smallwood, the school board president, had signed the labor agreement in August, but had never brought it to the board for a majority vote, as required by board policy. “From my understanding, ‘ratified’ means signed by all parties,” Smallwood said after the meeting. “ ‘Ratify’ means to approve.” (When it was pointed out that “ratification” was the word describing the vote on the evening’s agenda, Smallwood replied, “Then that’s the word on the agenda.”)

But the board’s decision might also have been a reflection of caution in the wake of such dubious accounting. James Thompson, who chairs the board’s budget and finance committee, said that the discovery of the surplus last fall only shows how poor the district’s budgeting models are. “I would be cautious even about the projection of a surplus,” he said. He voted to keep the contract as negotiated because, he said, “last year is last year.”

From the outset, Veno, the recovery officer, has been tasked with an essentially impossible mission: he must somehow deliver better academic results while employing fewer resources. Parts of his plan reflect that assignment’s absurd circularity, such as the endeavor to improve district finances by winning students back from charter schools—a result dependent on improving district academics, which is dependent on improved district finances. For that burden to be compounded by procedural errors, on matters that were meant to be settled at the start of the school year, must be profoundly frustrating.

But teachers also face impossible expectations. Barksdale works three jobs; her partner works two. When the pay cut was adopted, she said, “we literally had to sit down and re-budget, and hope and pray we didn’t have to sell our house.” Yet, when stories about the district appear online, they are greeted with invective commentary about “union parasites” and “whining.” When the teachers agreed to accept the cuts, they did so on the basis of a projection that has turned out to be a fiction. The board’s botched ratification might be a technicality—but then, technicalities are what we resort to when we can’t depend on good faith.

Correction: An earlier version of this article referred to James Thompson, a school board member, as the board’s “budget and finance director.” Thompson is the board’s budget and finance committee chair.

No Parking

January 29, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

The proposed interior design of the Alter Ego Brewing Co. brewhouse, in back of Midtown Cinema.

“It’s Just Too Big!”

So read the signs that, over the course of a few days, suddenly sprang up on dozens of small, rectangular front yards about a decade ago on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where I owned a rowhouse.

One afternoon, as I walked down the street, deeper into the neighborhood, I saw the first sign and wondered, “What exactly is too big?” Then I saw several more and thought, “What are these people protesting?”

Soon afterwards, a friend filled me in that some of her neighbors (she lived closer to the source of the “problem”) were objecting to a plan to convert a huge, old building, the former Capitol Hill Hospital, into condominiums. Their main gripe: parking. The project provided off-street parking as required by city statute, but the neighbors thought that the one-spot-per-unit allocation wasn’t enough.

“What if they have visitors?” I remember one resident remarking in a story in the Hill Rag, the neighborhood newspaper.

Long story short: the protesters won. They successfully delayed the project until the developer went bankrupt. Street parking didn’t change. But neither did the old hospital, which gobbled up an entire city block and remained almost completely empty, a hulking, ghostly building that created an eerie, isolated, dangerous vibe for blocks around.

I think of that story sometimes when parking issues arise, as they often do, in Harrisburg. Like back in D.C., parking often pits residents who want to see their neighborhood develop, become denser and have more amenities against those who are worried that their street parking will vanish.

Both sides have valid points. Like most people, I want to park directly in front of my house, but I also want the cafe, the movie theater, the restaurants–all the things that make city life worthwhile.

Last night, I attended a community meeting held by the owners of Alter Ego Brewing Co., who are proposing to build a brewhouse in the building at the rear of Midtown Cinema at the corner of Reily and Green streets. The meeting was well-attended, attracting about 50 neighbors, most in support, but some airing legitimate concerns about noise, traffic, odors and the serving of alcohol.

Before long, the discussion became largely about parking, a topic that continued today on TheBurg’s Facebook page. Some neighbors, as well as some out-of-city patrons, are very concerned about parking, even though the Cinema has off-street parking for 49 vehicles, far more than required by the city, even with the addition of the brewery.

In the course of the evolution of a city, a time arrives when a decision must be made about priorities. Is it in the best collective interest of Harrisburg (or Midtown or Engleton) to see the continued development of the commercial district around N. 3rd and Reily streets? Or is it better to keep development at bay so that residents can continue to park in front of their houses?

In the end, I suspect that the parking issue will follow a similar course here as it did in D.C. Yes, the neighbors won the battle against the hospital conversion, but only because the developer already was financially fragile and couldn’t hold out any longer. However, they lost almost every other time.

They complained about parking as the H Street and Pennsylvania Avenue commercial districts were revived and built up, a process that has only accelerated since I left. They lost badly as the Barracks Row corridor went from a seedy strip of check-cashing joints and liquor stores to a booming restaurant district.

All along, they asked, “But where am I gonna park?” along with the related question–“Who’s gonna come here because there’s no parking?”

Turns out–a lot of people.

As the core, then the outskirts, of Capitol Hill improved, people flocked in, as did restaurants, cafes, bars and stores. The lack of parking may have deterred some, but, in the aggregate, the places to eat, drink and shop brought in far more people than were lost to tougher parking.

Sure, some upset residents departed for the suburbs, where they got their private driveways, strip malls and acres of surface lots. But the area’s redevelopment and amenities enticed others to move in, making the area a safer, more vibrant place to live, while dramatically raising property values.

D.C., of course, is fortunate to have a reliable subway, and I can only fantasize that Harrisburg, some day, will have a trolley or light rail system, which could revolutionize life in this city. But, today, Capitol Hill has far more visitors coming via every means of transportation–subway, car, foot, even bus.

In the not-so-distant past, you could walk down Barrack’s Row day or night without encountering another soul, other, perhaps, than someone bumming change off you. Today, the wide sidewalks are full of people; the streets with cars; the restaurants and cafes with patrons. And there’s no more parking today than there was 15 years ago.

In contrast, the old, large Capitol Hill Hospital today remains an under-utilized medical building (a long-term care facility) that adds little to the surrounding residential neighborhood. Every once in awhile, residents may hear an ambulance siren, but, for the most part, the entire city block seems lifeless each day, a bit dodgy at night.

So, around Capitol Hill Hospital, the protesting neighbors won. On Barrack’s Row, they lost. But, looking back now, it sure doesn’t appear that way.

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